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While today’s vehicles are made to last longer than ever (with less maintenance, too), that doesn’t mean they’ll last forever. Eventually, wear and tear will cripple major vehicle components, including the engine. Other factors can cause premature engine failure as well – lack of proper maintenance, serious accidents that damage the engine, and numerous others can leave you in the lurch. Regardless of why your original engine is now on the way out, you need a replacement to keep you on the road. You have two primary choices – a rebuilt engine or a remanufactured engine.

Rebuilt Engines – Good, but not best

If you’re on a limited budget, you might compare prices between a rebuilt engine and a remanufactured engine and decide that rebuilt is the way to go. It is more affordable, it’s true. Well, it’s more affordable in the immediate future, but the situation over the long-term might be very different. A rebuilt engine will get you back on the road for less, but chances are good that you’re not going to stay on the road as long.

Rebuilt engines won’t last as long as a remanufactured engine. So, that lower price tag is more than a little misleading. After all, paying for a replacement now, and then paying for another in just a few thousand miles doubles your costs. On the other hand, a remanufactured engine will last far, far longer, so you actually get to maximize your investment.

Why the Lifespan Difference?

Why is a rebuilt engine not as long lasting as a remanufactured engine? The truth of the matter can be found in the names – rebuilt and remanufactured. Rebuilt engines are exactly what they sound like. They’re disassembled, the failed components are replaced, and then they’re put back together once more. That means any old parts that haven’t already failed are still in place, and it means that no resurfacing or re-engineering has taken place. It’s a process that can take place almost anywhere, even in your own garage.

A remanufactured engine, on the other hand, is something different. The process takes place in a manufacturing plant, under computer guidance. All the surfaces are cleaned, resurfaced, and put back into OEM specs. All the failed components are replaced, and all the worn components are replaced – it’s essentially a new engine inside a used case. It’s as close as you can get to a “new” transmission.

With a rebuilt transmission, you have a tremendous number of components still in operation with wear and tear, and even possibly with flaws that will eventually compromise performance. A rebuilt transmission is just one step up from a used transmission. Often, rebuilding is no more than applying a Band-Aid to the problem. It solves the immediate issue, but it does nothing about potential issues that might arise in the future.

If you’re seeking the longest lasting solution to your transmission woes, a remanufactured transmission is simply the best choice.